WWE Raw on the USA NetworkNew York City, New York at the Manhattan Center

Raw opened cold with Shawn Michaels music playing in the arena. Howard Finkel introduced the Intercontinental Champion before Vince McMahon checked in. He introduced Bobby Heenan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Vince reminded us that the match we were about to see was for the Intercontinental Championship between Shawn Michaels and Hacksaw Jim Duggan. This sent us into the opening credits of Raw...

1. Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan. Before the match, Hacksaw got the crowd chanting USA. Say what you want about Hacksaw, but he certainly got the crowd energy up. Hacksaw chased Michaels around the ring until Shawn took a powder. Michaels made his way into the ring, and Hacksaw again got the crowd chanting USA. He again chased Michaels, who again took a powder. Michaels shouted from the outside that he can't concentrate which this noise.

Again, Michaels made his way into the ring, and this time they locked up. Duggan caught Michaels with a knee to the mid-section and then several clothesline, before Shawn again bailed to the outside. Michaels went for a kick but Duggan caught it, and hit a number of jabs to the face. Michaels fell over the top rope. Shawn motioned that he had had enough and started walking to the back but Duggan caught up with him, put him over his shoulder and made his way back to the ring which took us into a break.

Back from commercials, Duggan had Michaels by the hair from inside the ring with Shawn outside the ring. Shawn did a stone cold stunner type move straddling Duggan's neck on the top rope. Michaels was on top and hit several knees to the face. Duggan made his way to his feet and started throwing air jabs which Michaels avoided. Shawn went to the top rope and came down with a punch to the face. Michaels was chocking Hacksaw on the mat breaking just before the 5 count. He put a chinlock on Hacksaw which allowed the crowd to rally behind Jim.

Duggan made it back to his feet, and broke the hold. He whipped Michaels across the ring to the turnbuckle, and tried to follow up but eat a boot to the face. Michaels hit a number of elbow drops before getting a two count. Another chinlock which didn't last for long as Hacksaw broke the hold. Again he hit a number of jabs before Michaels was back in control. Hacksaw fell to the outside. Michaels hit an axe handle from the apron down into the back of Duggan. The crowd started chanting USA to get behind Hacksaw.

Back in the ring, Hacksaw again hit a number of punches, but Michaels stopped him with a thumb to the eye. A snapmare and Michaels re applied a chinlock. Hacksaw appeared to be out, the ref dropped his arm twice but on the third attempt Jim came back to life. He broke the hold and Michaels went face first into the turnbuckle. Several big right hands to Michaels, and Shawn backed into the corner. Hacksaw followed and climbed to the second rope and hit ten punches while the crowd counted along. Hacksaw hit a big powerslam and setup for the football tackle which knocked Michaels to the outside.

Michaels made his way back up the aisle again, but Hacksaw punched him back down the aisle. Michaels with a thumb to the eye and tried to climb over the guard rail which Hacksaw helped him with a clothesline. Hacksaw climbed back in the ring as the ref counted to ten, so Hacksaw won by a countout. Hacksaw asked for a microphone and complained about the countout rule. He said he wasn't leaving until he had got another piece of Michaels and threw a chair in the ring...

Hacksaw Jim Duggan beat Shawn Michaels via countout in 11:14.

Retro Verdict: Firstly, it was a decent match, far better than a Hacksaw Jim Duggan match deserves to be, and a lot of the credit for that has to obviously go to Michaels. I was never a big fan of Duggan, as being from the UK, the USA gimmick never really got me into him. Saying that, the energy he generated from the crowd on this particular show was fantastic. I have a real problem with the finish as essentially, he caused Michaels to be counted out with a clothesline and then complained about Michaels being counted out. I know where this whole angle leads, so it makes sort of sense, but trying to look at it as someone who doesn't know what would eventually happen, this makes no sense at all and that really bothered me.

Back from the break, Hacksaw was still in the ring and walking around. The commentators were speculating whether or not Michaels would come back out, or whether there would be anymore action tonight... Vince announced that at the King Of The Ring, Yokozunna would take on Hulk Hogan...

We came back from some more commercials and Hacksaw had disappeared as we heard Doink's music playing. His opponent was already in the ring, and was the Kamikaze Kid. This was of course Sean Waltman, also known as 1-2-3 Kid, Lightening Kid, X-Pac, Pac, Syxx amongst many other incarnations. This, I believe, was his WWF debut.

2. Doink vs Kamikaze Kid. Doink started out quickly and big splashed Kid in the corner. He hit a belly to belly suplex, and the kid was down. Some stomps by Doink while the commentators reminded us of the two Doinks from last week. Doink had Kid in a submission move that caused the kid to scream. Doink released the hold and face planted Kid's face into the mat. Kid hit a few shots to the gut in a hope spot, but Doink got the advantage back.

Vince said that Hacksaw that he was on the phone to Jack Tunney, as we saw Doink put Kid in another submission hold, which I wish the commentators would have called, as I had never seen that particular submission used before or since. Kid submitted quite quickly...

Doink beat Kamikaze Kid via submission in 2:08.

Retro Verdict: Total squash match, Doink looked absolutely brutal. It was fun watching Sean Waltman knowing what he would later become.

After yet another commercial break, we saw Bob Backlund make his entrance to no music. His opponent already in the ring, was Dwayne Gill...

3. Bob Backlund vs Dwayne Gill. Backlund tried to shake Dwayne's hand before the match, but Gill brushed him off. They locked up went to lock up but Backlund grabbed the leg and Russian leg sweeped Gill. Vince announced that Hacksaw had been told he would get a rematch against Michaels on the next Raw in a lumberjack match. As this was the first ever lumberjack match on WWF TV, the commentators explained the stipulations of the match. Back in the ring, Gill had Backlund in an armlock on the mat. He rolled this through and powered up Gill in the air, very impressive. He hit a back body drop on Gill and put him in half nelson bridging cradle for the three count...

Bob Backlund beat Dwayne Gill via pinfall in 2:03.

Retro Verdict: Really slow and boring match. At least it allowed the commentators to talk about the main angle of the night, being the lumberjack match for the following week. I was never was a fan of Backlund as a kid, and as an adult I really don't care for him either.

After the break, Vince McMahon introduced Duggan again, and he made his way to the ringside area. Vince said that his strike in the ring seemed to have worked, and he will get his rematch. Hacksaw said that he was in the ring, and Sgt Slaughter came out and told him Jack Tunney was on the phone. He told Tunney that it wasn't fair that Michaels can run away. Hacksaw said Tunney said that Michaels could run but he cannot hide, and that next week he has got him in a lumberjack match.

Vince ran down the rules of a lumberjack match, Hacksaw said he can wrestle well but he can't fight a lick, and that next week he will take the title away from him. Vince said that a lumberjack match is dangerous and that it can be a disadvantage for him as it is for Michaels. Hacksaw said that the only thing on his mind is taking the Intercontinental Championship...

Retro Verdict: A surprisingly good promo that built up anticipation for the lumberjack match. Hell, if I'm honest, I'm looking forward to reviewing that match next week. I never would have believed I would be typing that about a Jim Duggan match.

In the ring, Howard Finkel introduced, in his own words, a true legendary manager, Captain Lou Albano. He shook hands with the jobbers already in the ring, Jim Bell and Tony Roy. Finkel introduced The Headshrinkers with their manager Afa, as Captain Lou joined the commentary team...

4. The Headshrinkers vs. Jim Bell and Tony Roy. Captain Lou made reference to his history with The Headshrinkers and that something had gone wrong with them. He also went on a very long rant about Bobby Heenen which was very funny. I got a chuckle out of this, especially Bobby's response that he's not a demented halfwit that if you put his brains in a pigeon it would fly upside down.

The Headshrinkers went straight on the offence and had Jim Bell in a trouble straight away. Samu hit a big clothesline following by a gut wrench powerslam. Fatu attacked Bell on the outside. Tags between the headshrinkers who threw Bell to his jobber partner. He came charging into the ring but got caught with a big kick to the face. The Headshrinkers hit a spike piledriver on Tony Roy. There were quick tags by The Headshrinkers, who were being vicious. There was a double headbutt by the Shrinkers, then a cover that Samu broke himself at two. The punishment continued for another couple of minutes until they hit a double face plant on Tony Roy, and Fatu hit a big splash for the 1-2-3...

The Headshrinkers beat Tony Roy & Jim Bell via pinfall in 4:56.

Retro Verdict: Ho-hum match. The Headshrinkers looked vicious against the jobbers, which I guess was the idea. If you get the chance to listen to this match, ignore what is happening in the ring, and just listen to the commentary. I didn't review it as I couldn't do it justice in text, but I couldn't stop laughing.

An advert was shown for a Coliseum Home Video called Smack em, Whack em, which included a home improvement video of the Bushwhackers. I really have no interest in ever seeing that.....

Kamala made his entrance, and his opponent already in the ring was Rich Myers. As Kamala was getting ready for the match, Vince announced that Yokozuna and Mr Perfect would be lumberjacks next week...

5. Kamala vs Rich Myers. Rich bounced off the ropes, and Kamala caught him with a big bum shot. Kamala had Rich up in the air and threw him across the ring. Kamala caught Rich with a kick to the midsection and again picked him up in the air and dropped him like a bad smell. He applied a leglock of sorts before chocking Myers. He hit a chop off the ropes and then a kick to the face. Kamala bounced off the ropes and hit a big splash, and tried pinned Rich while he was on the stomach. He tried several different positions, and the fans were pleading with Kamala to turn him over. He eventually got it right and got the 1-2-3...

Kamala beat Rich Myers via pinfall in 2:43.

Retro Verdict: Kamala's gimmick is Kamala's gimmick. Fun for the crowd, and somewhat entertaining for the people at home.

Vince plugged that the King Of The Ring qualifiers would be starting next week on Raw, and the first match would be between Typhoon and Bam Bam Bigelow...

Bobby was backstage with Shawn Michaels, and Bobby said that he knows Shawn had been through a lot to get the belt and now he's been stabbed in the back. Shawn said that he has never known a IC title to be treated this way. Somehow Duggan has got him in a lumberjack match and he says it's not fair. Shawn said he's worried about the people Duggan is lining up but he has a few friends of his own. Bobby asked what he has lined up, and Shawn, cleverly says he can't say in front of the camera so Bobby puts the microphone away as Michaels is talking in his ear as the show comes to a close...

Retro Verdict: I love the fact that Michaels wasn't stupid enough to give his game plan away to Heenen because the camera were there. Small, simple things like that keep you in the moment and make things more believable. I wish they did more of that these days. All in all, decent Raw. Seems to be the way at this time, that no shows were truly bad but they weren't out of this world amazing either, they are just sort of there.

I really enjoyed the main storyline through the show of Duggan and Michaels first in a match and the angle that came out of that which carried on for the rest of the show, despite my annoyance of the stupidity of how it came about. I also really enjoyed the commentary during the Headshrinkers match and the banter between Bobby Heenen and Captain Lou. I know some people might find it irritating, but I laughed so hard I couldn't disagree more. The squash matches were okay, but there was just too many of them. If they had cut the Kamala and Backlund matches and put on a decent competitive match between two established stars, you would have had two squash matches and two regular matches, and I think that would have been a better balance.

If you want to discuss anything about Raw in 1993 or how funny a flying upside down pigeon would be, send me an email to haydn.gleed@gmail.com or hit me up at Twitter.com/haydngleed.

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